The Auckland-based company will make a special dividend of 32 cents per share with a record date on Dec. 13 and payment on Dec. 19, it said in a statement. Last year Sky TV paid a special dividend of 25 cents per share.

The payment was being made after the company was left with $44 million in tax credits having settled its tax bill of $16 million yesterday, spokeswoman Kirsty Way told BusinessDesk.

The shares were unchanged at $5.07 yesterday, and have slipped 4.3 percent this year. The stock is rated an average ‘hold’ based on 10 analyst recommendations compiled by Reuters with a median target price of $5.30.

Sky TV made a profit of $123.7 million, or 31.78 cents per share, in the 12 months ended June 30, and paid a dividend of 22 cents in the 2012 financial year. As at June 30, the company had cash and equivalents of $27.9 million.